I Am a Still River that Runs Deep

Students completed a worksheet using the I Am Model as a writing guide.

I AM (Model)

I am (two special characteristics you have)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I want (an actual desire)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about)
I try (something you really make an effort about)
I hope (something you actually hope for)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)


I am a lone skater
I wonder what’s out there for me
I hear the music of the world
I see different sights in different cities
I want to have a hiding spot
I am a lone skater

I pretend I don’t need help
I feel for people that have it worse
I touch people’s hearts with my words
I worry about my family
I cry when I get hurt
I am a lone skater

I understand my friends
I say be calm and let it ride out
I dream that everything will be ok
I try to do it on my own
I hope for everlasting peace
I am a lone skater
CR


I am a listener and I help people when I can
I wonder how I will turn out in life
I hear my destiny calling
I see paradise ahead of me
I want to amount to something
I am a listener and I help people when I can

I pretend to have everything I need
I feel trapped and unable to escape
I touch long magical beasts
I worry things won’t go as planned
I cry when nobody wants to help me out
I am a listener and I help people when I can

I understand what needs to be done
I say do what you have to to get by
I dream on being someone someday
I try to understand other people
I hope things will work out
I am a listener and help people when I can
BA



I am an honest person
I wonder what would the world be without me
I hear people calling me by my name
I see angels surrounding me
I want to be honest and respected
I am an honest person

I pretend to be flying
I feel like an angel coming down to save you
I touch my heart and think about you
I worry that I will not find you ever.
I cry every day
I am a special person to you

I understand your feelings for me
I say that I love you and miss you
I dream about you everyday
I try to imagine you being here with me
I hope that we could be reunited soon
I am the love of your life
JL



I am smart and good looking
I wonder how my family is doing
I hear an echo
I see unicorns
I want to stay home and do good plus change the way I act sometimes
I am smart and good looking

I pretend to hide things from people
I feel like a dragon
II touch a mermaid
I worry when people tell me what to do
I cry when I am away from home without my family
I am smart and good looking

I understand why my grampa died
I say that I will always love my family and be there for them when they need
I dream about being an electrician, plumber and landscaper
I try to complete this program so I can be home with my family I love
I hope that I can make my parents proud because they want me to do good in this program so I can go home and hopefully stay at home.
I am smart and good looking.
WC


I am the best rapper alive
I wonder if I'm going to live to 25
I hear D-block and Jay-Z
I see myself chilling with my family
I am the best rapper alive

I pretend that I'm in the NBA
I feel that I can make it by being a rapper
I touch ones, tens, fifties, and hundreds
I worry about my friends and family
I cry when somebody close to me dies
I am the best rapper alive

I understand that it's not easy being a single parent
I say it is what it is
I dream about becoming rich
I try to stack as much bread as I can
I hope that my uncle comes home on appeal
I am the best rapper alive
BP


I am a smart gentleman
I wonder how I become who I am
I hear that people who try succeed
I see barbed wire
I want money
I am a boss
I pretend nothing
I feel pain
I touch everything
I worry about life
I cry alone
I am a person

I understand most of everything
I say nothing
I dream about the world
I try hard to make it
I hope I get far in life
I am a man
MR


I am a geek and I'm weak
I wonder why I can't speak
I hear my mom yelling
I see my sister crying
I want to help her
I am Cody

I pretend to be a good kid
I feel anger
I touch my face
I worry about the group
I cry when I'm mentally weak
I am Cody

I understand I'm locked up
I say things to my mom
I dream of coming home
I hope I'll make it
I am Cody
CL


I am tall and strong
I wonder about my cousin
I hear the old things he used to say to me
I want my past family to reunite in the future
I am tall and strong

I pretend to be flying
I feel like I have super powers
I though the bottom of the sea
I worry about my mother
I cry when I think about my grandma
I am tall and strong

I understand my past things I did were wrong
I say that me and the Lord will meet one day
I dream about my family and friends
I try to do my best in school
I hope my mother can get better
I am tall and strong
SB


I am tall and strong
I wonder if there is really life beside earth
I hear God talking to me
I see my kid going to college
I want to be a dentist
I am tall and strong

I pretend to be home
I feel my mother's touch
I touch the sky
I worry about life working good for me
I cry when I think about my son
I am tall and strong

I understand that I am at Loysville
I say it's ok…it's not for long
I dream about fast cars and big houses
I try to do good
I hope my son don't grow up like me
I am tall and strong
GO


I am unique and smart
I wonder what life after death is
I hear barks
I see love
I want a perfect family
I am unique and smart

I pretend to be crazy
I feel upset
I touch peoples' hearts
I worry about my son
I cry about not being with my son
I am unique and smart

I understand I have to be here
I say Allah is with me
I dream I will be a great father
I try to do my best
I hope my child is a great person
I am unique and smart
JP


I am educated and talented
I wonder how the world is going to turn out in 10 years
I hear paper crumbling
I see different human races
I want the best for the world
I am educated and talented

I pretend like I don't care about the world
I feel like nothing no more
I touch every hand in the world
I worry about not seeing my family
I cry because I'm stuck in hurt
I am educated and talented

I understand why people are different
I say the world can change
I dream the world coming to peace
I try to change the way I misbehave
I hope my mother can see me on the stage
I am educated and talented
TR


I am special
I wonder if I live to 100 years old
I hear the radiator at night
I see people everyday
I want a girl right now
I am in love with a girl

I pretend to joke
I feel sore
I touch food a lot
I worry about what's going to happen when I go home
I cry when my aunt died
I am going crazy

I understand what my mom tells me
I say what's up a lot to folks
I dream about girls
I try to play soccer
I hope I make it through life
I am smart at everything I do.
KJ


I am brave and courageous
I wonder how long I will live
I hear echoes
I see fame
I want to be a rap artist
I am brave and courageous

I pretend to be at home
I feel like I'm here for a reason
I touch the future
I worry when I will leave Loysville
I cry when there is a family funeral
I am brave and courageous


I understand people live and die
I say what goes around comes around
I dream of being a rapper
I try to stay focused on me
I hope to get my family a better place to stay
I am brave and courageous
CW


I am powerful and honest
I wonder if I'll have a boy or girl
I hear dragons flying
I see mermaids
I want to get out of here
I am powerful and honest


I pretend that I'm okay
I feel the heat of the dragon fire
I touch the dragon's tail
I worry if my brother's okay
I cry about the death of my older brother
I am powerful and honest


I understand I got to finish the program
I say what goes around comes around
I dream about me and baby and girl will have a good life
I try to stay focused on getting out of here
I hope to be successful
I am powerful and honest
JA


I am Garland
I wonder about my life
I hear things that I see
I see a lot
I want a lot of money
I am Garland

I pretend I'm free
I feel good
I touch a lot
I worry about my family
I cry sometimes
I am a human

I understand my family
I say bad words
I dream at night
I try to stay out of trouble
I hope I go home
I am whatever you say I am
GB


I am lazy and funny
I wonder why we're here
I hear voices
I see people
I want to go home
I am lazy and funny

I pretend to be somebody I'm not
I feel angry
I touch the sky
I worry about my family
I cry when I think about home
I am lazy and funny

I understand why we breathe
I say screw the government
I dream that I die
I try to get out of here
I hope I will leave soon
I am lazy and funny
DR


I am black and white
I wonder why I am the way I am
I hear voices that are in constant flux
I see my last breath
I want to die by fire
I am a nihilist

I pretend that I am the wolves
I feel translucid
I touch my death's hand
I worry about apathy
I cry because no one else will
I am watching from a crucifix

I understand how I don't want to live life
I say what if feels like to be free
I dream neon black anarchy
I try to love my end
I hope the system fails
I am God
SS


I am sad and lonely
I wonder when the world will end
I hear voices that are driving me crazy
I see what no other can see
I want to die a painful death
I am what you would call suicidal

I pretend that no other can touch me
I feel loneliness deep down inside
I touch my addiction to ending life
I worry how I will like my last breath
I cry until my eyes bleed red
I am what you would call suicidal

I understand what my higher power tells me
I say what will result in good
I dream of living in an afterlife
I try to end life so pleasantly
I hope someday I will live happily in heaven
I am what you would call suicidal
CH

I am fantastically smart
I wonder what it's like dying
I hear dead people
I see monsters
I want a mansion
I am fantastically smart

I pretend to fly
I feel creative
I touch the clouds
I worry about my sister and mom
I cry when people die
I am fantastically smart

I understand I am black
I say I'm going to survive
I dream about my dad dying
I try so hard to leave LYDC
I hope I could be successful
I am fantastically smart
AS


I am wonderful
I wonder when I will get out
I hear screaming
I see people that are dead
I want a girl I can stick with
I am wonderful

I pretend to have fun
I feel worried
I touch air
I worry about my sister
I cry when I think about my cousin
I am wonderful

I understand that I will not always get what I want
I say faith
I dream of having a baby boy
I try to do good
I hope I will stay out of lockup
I am wonderful
GD


I am outgoing and kind
I wonder about my future
I hear people
I see my mom
I am outgoing and kind

I pretend to like certain things
I feel people like me
I touch a lot of things with my hands
I worry about my future
I cry very rarely
I am outgoing and kind

I understand what I am trying to do in life
I say things don't bother me
I dream about being home
I try to get along with people
I hope I can go home soon
I am outgoing and kind.
NC


I am curious and imaginative
I wonder why I can't fly
I hear noises of water
I see waves of air
I am curious and imaginative

I pretend that I'm outside
I feel scared
I touch Braille
I worry about nothing
I cry about everything
I am curious and imaginative

I understand life
I say peace and love
I dream about magic carpets
I try to keep on rockin' in the free world
I am curious and imaginative
DM


I am quiet and helpful
I wonder about getting locked up
I hear cars
I see sexy girls
I want a BMW
I am quiet and helpful

I pretend to know things I don't know
I feel like going to Miami
I touch money
I worry about going to court
I cry because my mom is gone
I am quiet and helpful

I understand that people pass away
I say what goes around comes around
I dream about getting killed
I try writing letters
I hope I make it to the age of 25
I am quiet and helpful
KC


I am outgoing and smart
I wonder what happens after death
I hear animals
I see death
I want money
I am outgoing and smart

I pretend to be cool
I feel depression
I touch water
I worry about my family
I cry about life
I am outgoing and smart

I understand life
I say I'm bad
I dream of love'
I try hard
I hope to get out of lock-up
I am outgoing and smart
JS


I am tall and big
I wonder how to paint
I hear music
I see fantasy
I want to be a sponsored skateboarder
I am tall and big

I pretend to sleep
I feel strongly
I touch an apple
I worry about death
I cry being locked up
I am tall and big

I understand I can be what I want to be
I say I don't want to die
I dream of skateboarding
I try to be a really good skater
I hope to be a pro skater
I am tall and big
JK


I am a good person
I wonder if life is going to change
I hear my mother say I love you
I see life as nothing but time
I want a big house and 13 cars
I am my father's son and I am always going to be that

I pretend I am flying
I feel so in love
I touch my son as he is sleeping
I worry about if my son is going to be like me
I cry because I can't see my son grow up to be gig
I am a good father to my son and I love him

I understand life comes too fast
I say life is nothing but a game
I dream I am dying in life
I try to do my best in life as a son, father, and boyfriend
I hope to go home to my old life
I am life and life is what makes me
RA


I am respectful and kind
I wonder about when I am going to go home
I hear sounds that tell me the way home
I see what I have to do to go home
I am respectful and kind

I pretend to be a doctor
I feel so happy with my life
I touch books to learn things
I worry if I will make it one day
I cry losing things I love
I am respectful and kind

I understand I will get out in July
I say I will not get locked up again
I dream of having a family and staying out of trouble
I try to get my program over with and work hard
I hope for freedom and a good life
I am respectful and kind
JS


I am cool and positive
I wonder when I'll get out and how much I'll go through
I hear car exhaust
I see cars
I want to get out
I am cool and positive

I pretend to learn from this program
I feel crazy
I touch my girl
I worry how my family's doing
I cry because of my family
I am cool and positive

I understand I'm going to be here for a while
I say it is true
I dream about getting out
I try to change
I hope for freedom
I am cool and positive
JH


I am calm and take my time
I wonder when I'm going home
I hear new things each day
I see things in everyday life
I want to be there for my son
I am calm and take my time

I pretend to do more than I can
I feel left out
I touch other feelings
I worry about my family
I cry when someone dies
I am calm and take my time

I understand how it feels to be a man
I say how I feel
I dream of my son
I try to do my best
I hope to make it in life
I am calm and take my time
LF


I am easy to get along with and down to earth
I wonder where I'll be in 20 years
I hear drums from a band
I see lots of people tearing stuff up in a pit
I want to be a rock superstar, live in a big house and have five cars
I am easy to get along with and down to earth

I pretend to be retired on a big boat in the ocean
I feel excited when I imagine me retired
I touch a Jeep with a lift kit on it
I worry that something is going to happen to someone I love
I cry over spilt milk
I am easy to get along with and down to earth

I understand I'll be out of here some day
I say life can only get better if you want it to
I dream of being free
I try to be the best I can be
I hope that everything's going to work out
I am easy to get along with and down to earth
TR




I am black and independent
I wonder where life is going to lead me
I hear the songs of God
I see my guardian angel looking down at me
I want to see life for what it's worth
I am black and independent

I pretend I'm dead and there's nothing else
I feel I can hid my face from the face of the earth
I touch death when I'm all alone
I worry that I'll meet my death before I see the light
I cry when it seems like God shows no mercy
I am independent and full of death


I understand that life ain't no game
I say when you reach something you work for never let it go
I dream about death for every death there's a new beginning
I try to stay clear from my emotions
I hope one day I can see life as everyone sees it
I am a man of wonder and independent at that
TB